Ethernet has evolved to meet the growing demands of packet-switched networks. It has become the unifying technology enabling communications via the Internet and other networks using the Internet Protocol (IP). Due to its proven low cost, known reliability, and simplicity, the majority of today's Internet traffic starts or ends on an Ethernet connection. This popularity has resulted in a complex ecosystem among carrier networks, enterprise networks, and consumers, creating a symbiotic relationship among its various parts.
At first, Ethernet speeds were typically limited to ten or one-hundred megabits-per-second (Mbps), and then increased to one gigabit-per-second (Gbps). However, with the needs for increasing bandwidth, it is not uncommon to encounter ten Gbps speeds, and even forty and one-hundred Gbps speeds have become available. A multitude of different connectors have evolved to support such higher Ethernet speeds, beyond the common RJ45 connectors used for one Gbps and lower speeds.